Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

No Oil in Sight Glass

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #16
    can you see oil in the sight glass when its on its wheels and held vertical?

    the service manuals for the old ones the don't really spell it out, the GS1150 and the GSX13000 are definitely checked with the wheels on the ground and the bike held vertical. if its on the center stand the sight glass is clear. (unless you ad about 3/4 of a quart, then its over full)
    the old 850 i checked on the wheels( it had no center stand), but i think the 400 had a dipstick? (or was it the other way round)
    Last edited by derwood; 10-01-2019, 09:42 AM.
    GSX1300R NT650 XV535

    Comment


      #17
      I checked several different factory services manuals from different GS bikes and every one of them said the proper method to check the oil level involves 1) bike on the centerstand, 2) oil cold 3) run the engine for several seconds (to distribute oil throughout the engine), 4) shut down engine and wait one minute 5) check level and adjust to the F mark.

      Oil expands when hot so checking when the engine is hot will show a higher level than when the engine is cold. The oil will drain back to the sump faster when the oil is hot too. I'm not sure what the exact difference between the hot and cold levels are though. An experiment would be easy enough to accomplish though.
      Ed

      To measure is to know.

      Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

      Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

      Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

      KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

      Comment


        #18
        Quoted engine oil volume expansion is around the .00045/F mark.
        If you ignore case expansion and internal curves,nooks and crannies changing as you go up you are looking at a level change of 4.5% per 100F
        97 R1100R
        Previous
        80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

        Comment


          #19
          Add oil to the top of the sightglass (no further) and on your next oil change switch to Rotella.
          Charles
          --
          1979 Suzuki GS850G

          Read BassCliff's GSR Greeting and Mega-Welcome!

          Comment


            #20
            This happens to my '79 S now and then .
            The first time I was on a 12,000 km trip and I freaked out .
            Topped up the oil and had it spew out from behind the points .
            Freaked out again .
            Dropped the oil and put the correct amount in , all good .
            The old girl just wasn't happy about something . Neither was the bike .
            One of life's little mysteries .
            When it happens now , there's no evidence of oil spew , we carry on .

            Cheers , Simon .


            '79 GS1000S my daily ride in Aus

            '82 (x2) GS650ET in the shed

            Comment


              #21
              I experienced the 'disappearing oil' situation earlier today. I didn't ride, just start. I did what Nessim suggested - two minutes than off, still nothing in window. Also, did what the owner's manual says - start, then let it warm up at no more than 2k (using choke).

              Turned it off a few times, never let it fully warm up (or rev above 2k). It occurred to me that it might be the tilt of my paddock stand (see pic).

              What I didn't do was get nervous and add oil like last time. The oil's got to be in there somewhere - she loses maybe a drop or two on the floor each week, the shifter is dirty and the exhaust is invisible; not losing or burning enough to significantly deplete the crankcase.

              Agreed?
              Attached Files
              1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

              2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

              Comment


                #22
                How do you get it to stick to the wall like that?



                You do realize, I hope, that keeping it on the wall like that puts the sight glass on TOP of the engine and you will never see any oil there.

                .
                sigpic
                mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                Family Portrait
                Siblings and Spouses
                Mom's first ride
                Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                Comment


                  #23
                  Originally posted by Steve View Post
                  How do you get it to stick to the wall like that?
                  Okay, ready for this?

                  I'm in 308; I'm going down now to check on spots 304 - 307. If they're full (everybody's in for the night), I'll run two long extension cords and charge my batteries. (Outlet is at spot 304). Hopefully, I can get them both charged by about 5:30 AM. Charged or not, at that time I'll unplug everything and resume the next midnight. I'm already breaking the rules by having two "vehicles" in one spot.

                  Neither staff nor neighbors need to know that I'm running cords and stealing electricity. I miss having a private garage.
                  1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                  2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Take it off that stand. I think its too tall and all the oil is running to the front of the sump and not reading in the glass. If anything have a friend hold the bike upright when its on the wheels.
                    MY BIKES..1977 GS 750 B, 1978 GS 1000 C (X2)
                    1978 GS 1000 E, 1979 GS 1000 S, 1973 Yamaha TX 750, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650B1, 1975 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, 1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk, 1972 Honda CB 350K4, 74 Honda CB550

                    NEVER SNEAK UP ON A SLEEPING DOG..NOT EVEN YOUR OWN.


                    I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      You can put a small level on top of the engine, crouch beside it and pull it over to you off the side stand until it’s level. Use your shoulder to stabilize and check the glass...

                      for a level google “mini spirit level” several will come up, even keychain ones and all the hardware stores have them.

                      I’ll sometimes do that on a trip when it’s hard to find level ground (such as on a campsite in the morning...)
                      1980 GS1000G - Sold
                      1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                      1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                      1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                      2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                      1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                      2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

                      www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                      TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                      Comment


                        #26
                        The sight glass is calibrated for having the bike on the center stand. A level bike, on two wheels, will have the oil sloshing towards the back of the engine. I'm not sure how much this matters but since we are splitting hairs...
                        Ed

                        To measure is to know.

                        Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                        Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                        Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                        KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                        Comment


                          #27
                          It doesn't make the slightest difference to any sensible reading.
                          It's a technique I use a lot on the fly.
                          ---- Dave
                          79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                          80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                          79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                          92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                          Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Originally posted by chuck hahn View Post
                            Take it off that stand. I think its too tall and all the oil is running to the front of the sump and not reading in the glass.
                            That's a thought.

                            Originally posted by salty_monk View Post
                            ...crouch beside it and pull it over to you off the side stand until it’s level. Use your shoulder to stabilize and check the glass...
                            When I had my own garage, I'd sit cross-legged with my back against the wall, then tilt it off the side stand (which sits on a brick). Worst case, handlebars would contact the wall and prevent it from going over. But I recall that if tilted far enough, the oil would always appear in the window.
                            1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                            2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                              I experienced the 'disappearing oil' situation earlier today. I didn't ride, just start. I did what Nessim suggested - two minutes than off, still nothing in window. Also, did what the owner's manual says - start, then let it warm up at no more than 2k (using choke).

                              Turned it off a few times, never let it fully warm up (or rev above 2k). It occurred to me that it might be the tilt of my paddock stand (see pic).

                              What I didn't do was get nervous and add oil like last time. The oil's got to be in there somewhere - she loses maybe a drop or two on the floor each week, the shifter is dirty and the exhaust is invisible; not losing or burning enough to significantly deplete the crankcase.

                              Agreed?
                              I think your problem is the tilt of the bike when you check the level. The sight glass on my 850 shows no oil when the bike is on the side stand. If I hold the bike upright or put it on the center stand, oil appears in the sight glass. I cannot tell an obvious difference between center stand vs just holding it upright.
                              - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                              - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Oil's back!

                                All it took was a good healthy tilt to the right. I was so tickled, I took her out for a midnight run. Rode conservatively, but wanted to see how hot I could get her. 205f, even with hitting the buck for a second. A few more at 90, and the rest was quasi-legal.

                                Time to put my thermostat (cardboard) back on, but I've never notice it make a difference. Any season, any riding, oil never goes over the 210 mark, cooler covered or not. I think it's just the trip out of the engine block more than any radiating happening at the cooler.
                                1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                                2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X